Wycombe Labour leader quits council to run as MP (From Bucks Free Press)

Wycombe Labour leader quits council to run as MP

10:00am Wednesday 23rd January 2013 in News By James Nadal

THE leader of Wycombe Labour has resigned as a councillor as she dedicates her full efforts on running for Parliament.

Cllr Victoria Groulef, who heads up the third largest group at Wycombe District Council, has officially stepped down, having been selected as Labour's candidate to vie for the seat of Reading West at the next general election.

She will aim to become an MP in 2015.

She said: "When you take on a new job, I strongly believe you should consider the impact it might have on any other roles you have - and it has become obvious that I cannot serve both my constituents in Disraeli and my future constituents in Reading."

She explained her time is going to be tied up increasingly in Reading and said therefore it was not fair on residents to keep going as a councillor.

She said: "I have thrown myself whole-heartedly into representing the local people of Disraeli ward and will work equally as hard for the residents in Reading West.

"However, unlike others in local politics, I simply don't believe that anyone, in all good conscience, can serve the public adequately whilst juggling multiple public service roles."

The Labour party have selected her in one of over 100 seats they are specifically targeting at the next Westminster election as they seek to get back into power.

The by-election details are yet to be confirmed by WDC but Cllr Groulef said the aim was to combine it with May's county council vote to save taxpayers' cash.

The ward still has a councillor in the interm because it is also represented by her Labour colleague Cllr Khalil Ahmed.

Cllr Groulef said: “I have made my decision at this time, to ensure that the election of a new councillor can be combined with the county council election process, saving precious money in the public purse.

"However, if the people of Disraeli ward want to call a by-election before that point to get a second councillor again then they absolutely have that right."

Cllr Groulef assured her constituents that she had spent December and January, working hard to hand over all casework to her fellow Labour Councillors.

Comments are closed on this article.